My Girl
by xShiningxMoonlightx
Summary: Four years after returning from his adventures in the Digital World, 16-year old Takuya Kanbara is peacefully enjoying his new life in Shibuya. Time has changed him significantly since winning the Digital War, yet there is one thing that still weighs on his mind...a distant memory of talking to Izumi in Ofanimon's library, while acting a little 'too' friendly. Season 4. Oneshot.


_**My Girl**_

A "Digimon Frontier" FanFiction

by Moonlight

**Rating**: Teen; 'T' for mild profanity, bloodless violence, and suggestive themes. **(Viewer discretion is advised for young children.)**

**Disclaimer**: Digimon Frontier Ⓒ 2002 Yukio Kaizawa/Toei Animation * Ⓒ 1995-2014 Akiyoshi Hongo/Toei Animation Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.  
_***I DO NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OVER THIS PROPERTY!**_

**Synopsis:** Four years after returning from his adventures in the Digital World, 16-year old Takuya Kanbara is peacefully enjoying his new life in Shibuya. He continues to keep in contact with his best friends, Kouji 'Koji' Minamoto, Tomoki 'Tommy' Himi, Junpei "J.P." Shibayama, Kouichi Kimura, and Izumi 'Zoe' Orimoto. Time has changed him significantly since winning the Digital War, yet there is one thing that still weighs on his mind...

**Author's Notes:** The first several paragraphs in italics are for those who are not familiar with the series. The original Japanese names, along with minor cultural references, are retained in this story. In addition, the character dialogue taken from the anime is a mixture of the English dub and the original Japanese language. Original dialogue was created with a blend of these differences in mind.

"**Digimon Frontier" is my favorite season of Digimon hands down. While the first season got me introduced to the series, there was just something about **_**Frontier **_**that really spoke to me: the relationships with the characters. Unlike the previous seasons where the writers focused primarily on the Digimon and their human partners, this series more so touched upon on character development and lighthearted fun. I honestly don't know why so many people bash it because I think its just wonderful; it took a unique spin to what many have known and loved about the genre. Takuya, our gallant google-headed leader of season four, is just full of surprises, isn't he? (_Right_).**

**R&R is appreciated!**

**-Moonlight**

* * *

_The clock struck 5:30 in the kitchen of the Kanbara residence. It was late April. Hiroaki and Yuriko Kanbara owned a quaint little property in a quiet neighborhood outside Shibuya, Japan. The yellow two story house was big enough for comfortable living yet smaller then Mr. and Mrs. Kanbara would have liked. However, they refused to complain, for the couple enjoyed the solace of the life they had. The neighbors were friendly and cars rarely passed through. Children were often seen playing on the empty streets. Mr. and Mrs. Kanbara were quite pleased with this, for they had two beautiful kids of their own: 12-year old Takuya Kanbara, their eldest son, and Shinya Kanbara, his younger brother. The two boys were their pride and joy, and Mr. and Mrs. Kanbara loved spoiling them._

_Today marked Shinya Kanbara's eighth birthday. The homey Kanbara kitchen was brightly decorated more so than usual. Four sets of formal utensils were neatly arranged on the dining table, colored balloons were scattered around the ceiling, and various party favors, from paper hats, posters, and streamers flooded the area. A large white cake reading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" proudly sat on the table as the room's centerpiece. While the day had been exciting it also proved to be hectic. Baking, cleaning, and making the proper preparations for company had exhausted Yuriko. She sighed as the phone rang precisely at the moment she was about to reach for the oven door. Quickly prying it open and snatching her prized chicken, Yuriko plopped it on the counter and answered the phone on the final ring. _

_Par usual, Shinya and Takuya relished their freedom in the late afternoons. A pile of comics sat on the wooden floor in the corner of the room. Shinya eagerly flipped through them one by one. Sprawled out on his stomach, he put a book down and began fiddling with the television. His brother's neatly stacked video game collection was waiting to be touched. Takuya, on the other hand, was less than content. Normally he would have scolded his brother for messing with his games but today he was so bored he couldn't care less. _

_Sitting on the kitchen table, Takuya rolled his eyes and rested his head on his arms. His life was so unsatisfying. Every morning was the same. His mom would yell at him to get up for school, he'd wobble from class to class and make trouble for the teachers, and he and his classmates would stay out late and play soccer. Upon coming home he would find his brat of a brother glued to the television, messing with his videogames that he specifically told him a _million_ times not to touch. Yet Takuya wasn't unhappy either; he loved his parents and enjoyed his school. As much as he hated to admit it he even liked hanging out with Shinya on occasion. Thus, in short, his life was good. Normal. Just _too_ normal for his taste. __He was a daydreamer. He wanted adventure. Some life-changing experience that set him apart from the rest. Often he'd ask himself, _"is a little excitement too much to ask for?"

_Takuya sighed. He just wanted to get the day over with. The thought of cake at the end made his mouth water. Satisfied with the idea his fore-finger dove for a strawberry. It didn't hurt to indulge a bit. _

_"Tell daddy to bring me home a big present!" _

_Shinya's outburst immediately snapped Takuya out of his sugar-filled daydream. Likewise, it attracted the attention of his mother, who was hurriedly chattering on the phone. She put down the headset and turned to face her sons._

_"Mind your manners, Shinya. And don't even think about touching that cake, Takuya," she hollered. Defeated, Takuya slid further down in his chair._

_"Ugh, I'm BORED…My life is _so_ boring," he groaned. "I wish something exciting would happen."_

_On the kitchen table his phone could be seen vibrating. Curious, Takuya picked it up. The screen was flashing._

_"What's this?"_

_"Would you like to start? Yes? No?" the message read._

_"A text? No sender? Well, whatever."_

_Takuya clicked the 'YES' icon in annoyance. He was sick of constantly receiving false advertisements on his phone. Surely the strange message would go away if he responded in a timely matter. _

_But Takuya was baffled as to what happened next._

_"Takuya Kanbara. Your future has been decided. You have chosen to begin the game."_

_At first Takuya thought he was going crazy. A mysterious voice, soft-spoken yet stern, was speaking to him in his mind. The sensation felt as if something was pressing on his head. Takuya put his head to the earpiece to hear no sound coming through the receiver. Next, he tried shaking the phone. Yet he could still hear the voice, clear as night and day, echoing through his eardrums. He thought to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming, but he decided against it. He knew it couldn't have been a dream because he remembered waking up in the morning, going to school, skipping soccer practice and coming home. The realization that he was awake and fully sane finally clicked. Takuya was so shocked that he almost fell out of his chair. _

_"Huh? How do you know my name? What game?" he inquired. _

_"Take the 5:45 outbound train from Jiyuugaoka Station, and all will become clear."_

Looking back to the events on his brother's birthday, Takuya felt strange. Who would have guessed that such a mysterious text message would be his calling for an adventure of a lifetime? Fortunately, five others were to share in his confusion: Kouji Minamoto, Tomoki Himi, Junpei Shibayama, Izumi Orimoto, and Kouichi Kimura. Of course in the beginning he didn't have a clue; what seemed like an ordinary afternoon on the day of Shinya's birthday he was given a set of instructions with no explanation as to what he was getting himself into. Naturally his curiosity won him over, and before he knew it, Takuya found himself dashing outside his backyard and dodging past cars and pedestrians towards Shibuya station, cell in hand. Down the central elevator he went as his phone continued to vibrate, and it was when the conveyor drove past the basement level Takuya knew he was entering the unknown.

As the machinery slammed to a halt and the doors creaked open, Takuya's eyes widened. His vision became flooded with colors, from the oddly patterned trains to the crowds of screaming children. Some were chattering in groups of three or four, others running, even a few had stopped to take pictures of their mysterious findings. Evidently there was a hidden train station below the one above. The ceiling and walls were made entirely of glass, and a towering clock made of crystal was statued in station's center. The room was so bright one had to squint to get a clearer picture. Takuya didn't have time to gawk, however, for as soon as he took his first step on the glittering floor the trains began to holler signaling departure. Without giving it a second thought he frantically dove for the nearest one to his right, clinging to the railing of what appeared to be the last cart. Before the door slammed behind him Takuya met the gaze of a boy on the train to his left, his mouth formed in a thin, hard line. The image of long, raven black hair, cold, unfeeling eyes, and a blue jacket with grey jeans had burned into Takuya's memory. The youth appeared to be exactly his age, about 5'2 in height. Somewhere, a voice was telling him they would meet again, though not as strangers. Takuya shivered.

The roaring train entered a red tunnel, and soon the crowds of people were far behind him.

Upon entering the train the first seating area had been completely empty; in addition, the room was pitch black. This puzzled Takuya because there were so many kids wandering in the mysterious glass train station. After pacing through the ghostly cart he found himself entering the next one. Light and warmth greeted him. Sure enough, three people were scattered inside. A little boy about Shinya's age sat in the back. A girl and a boy seated towards the front looked a few years older then Takuya. The boy closest to Takuya was chomping on a chocolate bar. His face was twisted into a glare. A blue jumpsuit with large, yellow pockets loosely hung on his bloated figure. Thin, brown locks of hair spiked in all directions. He was ten times Takuya's height and weight. Takuya hesitated to speak up as he didn't seem too friendly. He seemed to fair better with the girl to his right. She was peering out the window while whistling a happy tune. She wore a purple and magenta getup that matched from head to toe, with the exception of a blue and white striped t-shirt underneath her pink sweatshirt. The word 'fashionsita' immediately popped into Takuya's mind. Her skirt was shorter then her knees and her tee fell just under her chest, revealing her stomach. She even wore a fashion hat, which partially hid her long, golden hair that fell to her lower abdomen. All the girls at Takuya's school that wore such outfits practically screamed 'don't talk to us unless you're hot.' If it weren't for this girl's happy-go-lucky disposition Takuya would have assumed otherwise. Finally, Takuya took notice of the little boy in the back. His arms were folded in his legs and he was shivering. He dawned a white t-shirt with orange bellbottoms. His matching cap was three times his size and covered his face. A pang of worry washed over Takuya. The poor kid looked scared out of his mind. Eventually he piped up and introductions were made; Junpei, Izumi, and Tomoki were to be his new traveling companions.

After a relatively smooth ride, Takuya and the others were shocked to find themselves arriving in a strange land. Fields of barren earth surrounded them in addition to a cloudless sky. A chill hung in the air. Upon exiting there was no sign of life except for the caravan. The train was no ordinary train indeed, for it bore the face of a twisted, shriveled insect. Sharp, curved, yellow teeth sprang from its mouth, and two pairs of golden, beady eyes circled in all directions. It groaned and whined at the sight of the children, disgusted his superiors had given him the job of carrying them. Before Takuya could question it about their whereabouts, the train called Worm had swiftly driven back the way it came. With no path to guide him but a broken street sign towards the left of the station, Takuya and the others wandered around for some time.

The day only became stranger from then on. Moments later Takuya found himself rescuing two strange creatures, Bokomon and Neemon, who suddenly expected him to save the planet after witnessing him transform into an ancient spirit and destroy a dog-like monster. And he wasn't expected to bust his gut for any old world, either: Bokomon and Neemon were begging him to protect the _Digital World_, a universe created from colossal amounts of jumbled computer data. To the strangers' delight Takuya somehow managed to use his newfound magical powers in succession. His human partners were equally stupefied and desired the same kind of abilities.

Takuya, on the other hand, struggled to process the short span of events. Somehow, he, a mere human, had transformed into a _monster_. Prior to these events the group had been exploring their surroundings. The balance became upset when Takuya discovered they were trapped on floating island. With nowhere to go, Tomoki panicked. Four years younger than Takuya, Tomoki wanted nothing but to go home after being shoved onto Worm by a group of sniggering teenagers. Worm's departure from the station prompted him to follow, but Tomoki failed to realize the remainder of the track sprouted from the cliff into an abyss of nothingness. The metal bar in which the train followed was floating in midair. Tomoki screamed and clung for life until Takuya rushed to the scene.

It was then that Bokomon and Neemon came running thereafter, slamming into Takuya from nowhere. The track broke and the four of them slammed to the ground. Eager, the ferocious dog closed in. Its prey had nowhere to run. Without thinking Takuya stupidly grabbed a broken pipe, swung at the animal, and found himself being snatched and flung into a burning furnace. Upon collision it exploded, but instead of losing consciousness Takuya felt himself surrounded by light. He squinted his eyes. Finally, taking a deep breath, he opened them. Takuya was shocked to discover he was standing in a circle of flames where the boiler had once been. Mysteriously, the heat did not burn him. Rather, he felt…different. Unreal. Comfortable. The wildfire surrounded him, consumed him. He felt a surge of energy bursting from his heart. The power of flame was coursing through his veins. He closed his eyes. Moments later, the vicious dog was disintegrating into a stream of data. His phone had morphed into a strange rectangular device. Sucking the dog's remnants like a vacuum, the compiled line of data disappeared into the phone and Takuya was himself again. He was at a loss for words.

And so Takuya's journey in the Digital World began. Apparently, beings called Digimon ruled and roamed the land. No two Digimon were alike and possessed certain human and beast-like qualities that set them apart from one another. Takuya's phone transformed into a Digivice, an artifact unique to the digital world used for collecting data. The incident near the furnace proved he was one of the selected heroes chosen by the celestial Digimon to save the world. A crisis had befallen the humble planet. With no choice but to expose themselves to humans, emails had been sent to children on earth pleading for help. At first Takuya's group was hesitant, because the messages that brought them there made them believe they were playing a game, but one by one each companion acquired a spirit of his own: the spirits of the ten Legendary Warriors, a band of valiant Digimon said to have saved the Digital World in legend.

Takuya also discovered that the concept of humanity was foreign in the digital world, which he found to be odd. He certainly didn't feel a connection to the bizarre creatures surrounding him, but transforming into Agunimon, the ancient spirit of fire, was pretty badass. He could materialize fire in air and shoot missiles, as well as jump and climb like a cheetah. Lifting objects ten times his weight had become a simple task. He could fly and dash at incredible speed. Victory after victory met the brave children, so in the end Takuya decided to roll with it. _"What the heck, it's better than my boring life,"_ Takuya recalled himself saying. At first it all seemed like a video game, traveling from Digimon village to Digimon village in order to defeat various terrorists. Kouji, the boy from the train station, and Kouichi, his twin brother, soon joined the group. But as time passed Takuya began to realize the severity of the situation he was in, as well as the feelings of mutual respect for his companions that weren't present before. His heart broke as he witnessed innocent creatures die before him, and slowly the Digital World began collapsing. Darkness and plague blanketed the once beautiful planet. The souls of the living were constantly in danger as the enemy basked in power. With no way home, there was no choice but to fight. His presence in the digital world was more than a game; he had become a part of something so much greater.

Battle after battle, Takuya and his friends continued to fight for peace. Somehow the problems his heart had been dodging were becoming clear. He desired true friendship. Kouji, Tomoki, Junpei, Izumi, and Kouichi were the first, and probably the most important, group of friends he'd ever have. Lessons of trust, respect, and loyalty now resided within him. For this reason losing the Digicode to Ofanimon's Castle was _not_ an option. A new evil had risen in Dynasmon and LordKnightmon, two black-hearted Digimon with a mission to scan all the Digicode in the Digital World and revive Lucemon, a powerful angel Digimon seeking to obliterate the Digital World, and Earth, for his amusement. Ofanimon's castle contained the final piece of the Digicode needed to bring him back to life. If Takuya were to fall in this final attempt at keeping the peace, everyone and everything he loved would perish.

"Geez," he muttered to himself. "Left and right are books, books, and whaddya know, _more_ books!"

Takuya sighed.

Upon arriving at the palace prior to beginning his search everything appeared to be in order. While he carried his friends to the castle as EmperorGreymon, his monster-like eyes were met with a sight to behold. The main building itself was breathtaking, with its cream towers stretching into the spiraling clouds above. A balcony rested atop the highest tower, surrounded by smaller towers with teal-colored rooftops. The setting sun created a palette of tertiary colors in the sky: orange, yellow and purple had blended together as if to construct a painting. Topping it off with a gentle breeze and some puffy, marshmallow-like clouds, the universe was practically screaming at Takuya to throw himself into the flowerbed of irises surrounding the palace. He was worn out from the previous battle with the enemy and had been traveling for what seemed like hours. But seeing as the floating castle was the only Digicode preventing Lucemon from obliterating the Digital World, he and the others could not afford to sleep. Especially him, as Tomoki and Izumi had given him their spirits in order for him to obtain his final evolution to stand against the Royal Knights.

_"More like the Royal Loanesses,"_ he thought in agitation.

After meeting Nefertimon, the castle's guardian, Takuya decided to split everyone into three groups to look for the hidden Digicode. Nefertimon had the ears and eyes of a cat, the head of a sphinx, a long, lanky tail, giant, golden paws, pure white fur, and a pair of feathered wings sprouting from her back. In such a time of crisis it was odd to see her so calm and collected. Yet she listened intently and offered the children advice. The inside of the building was not what one would expect: unlike Seraphimon's crystal palace in the Forest Terminal, where the walls were bright enough to blind a man, the main hallway in Ofanimon's castle was blanketed in darkness, surrounded by mountains of books. Dusty shelves with untouched materials lay disorganized and cluttered. Dimly lit candles hung on the sides of the walls. In the left-hand corner of the room a blinding staircase led upstairs to more novels. A dark hallway to the left revealed a set of marble stairs winding downwards. Clearly there were many rooms to search. If the six of them expected to find the data, they would be up all night without breaking into groups. Kouji and Kouichi decided to explore the upstairs portion of the towering library. Much to Junpei's dismay, Izumi was quick to turn down his flirtatious advances at getting paired with her. Big surprise. Sniffling with defeat he and Tomoki headed towards the middle chambers. As Izumi suggested, Takuya followed her downstairs to explore the basement.

And now here he was, four hours later, still searching for the the castle's Digicode in Ofanimon's stuffy old library. Picking up a dusty book for about the hundredth time, Takuya sleepily rubbed his eyes. He grumbled as the flickering candlelight created playful shadows on the bookshelves. They weren't helping his nerves. His locks of brown hair seemed to stick up more than usual, and his red jacket, yellow t-shirt, and green hiking pants felt like a bucket of weights. It must have been after midnight by now. He turned around. Izumi showed no signs of fatigue. She blissfully hummed the song of the Floramon as she worked, flipping through one book after another. Takuya wondered how she could have so much energy at such a late hour. Struggling to stay focused, Takuya leaned against the wall. He did his best to stifle a yawn. If the Royal Knights showed up he needed to be conscious. As the team's leader it was his responsibility.

Little did he know the book he propped his elbow against was loose, causing a mountain of volumes to topple over the two chosen children. Izumi cried in shock as the river of literature carried her further in the room. After the dust cleared, Takuya wiggled his way through the iron grip of the pile. He didn't know whether to be grateful that the shock woke him up or worried at how Izumi would react to his clumsiness. The two of them butted heads often.

"Smooth move, Takuya," she grumbled. Pushing through the mound of books her head popped to the surface about a meter away from him.

"Sorry, my bad," he chuckled nervously. Her disgruntled look made him quick to slap his hands together in apology. He'd never forget the time she accidentally tripped and pulled him down a hole in the Flame Terminal, only to be quickly slapped in the face and called a pervert. Izumi had a temper not to be messed with.

He decided to change the subject. "But man, where could the Digicode be? We've been searching for hours."

"I wonder if it's getting close to morning," Izumi replied lazily. She too was sleepy, but she refused to show it. Takuya was always fighting so hard, going out of his way to protect her and the others. Because her spirit lacked a Mega-Evolution like EmperorGreymon and Magnagarurumon, the least she could do to pay Takuya and Kouji back by doing her best to help. A brief internal pep talk made her reach for a novel titled The History of Digimon Evolution. She began to read.

Takuya observed her intently. It seems he wasn't the only one going insane from sleep deprivation. But, nonetheless, his care-taker personality kicked in. Takuya greatly disliked seeing a friend battling fatigue. Or battling anything, for that matter. And Izumi…well, she was Izumi_. _Though strong-willed and confident, which he deeply respected about her, she was still…he thought uncomfortably…a _girl_.

"Are you tired?" he asked gently.

For a moment, Izumi paused.

"I'm fine."

"Izumi, you rest. I'll handle things from here."

"You should too, Takuya."

Takuya shook his head. "Seriously, don't worry about it. I'll only be a bit longer."

Izumi, stubborn as usual, wouldn't give up. "But you'll need the sleep. If the Royal Knights attack the castle, you'll have a tough battle ahead of you."

"The last one."

"Yeah."

Takuya smiled brightly, looking Izumi straight in the eyes. Staring into his amber hues she couldn't help but smile back. It was clear to her their respect for each other at this point in time was mutual. In her first week in the Digital World she couldn't _stand _Takuya. He was stubborn, immature, and rash, much like the jocks that paraded around her classroom acting like they were everyone's business. But as time went on, she noticed there was more to Takuya than she imagined. He was energetic, brave, carried a strong sense of justice…and he was sweet, all the qualities present in a mature person. There was no doubt in her mind that out of the six of them, he deserved to be the group's leader. All their dumb fights in the past seemed like a hazy memory now.

Takuya put down a book, lost in thought. "You know, Izumi…"

"Hm?"

"This could be our final battle," he continued. "When Kouji and I defeat the Royal Knights, it's all over. We can finally stop fighting."

"This world hasn't been all about fighting, though. I got to meet you and the others, Takuya. And all the Digimon too," Izumi replied. "Before I came here, I didn't know how to be a friend. But now I think I understand a little more about myself," she continued, also reminiscing about the past. Izumi felt as though something had changed within her since coming to the digital world. More than anything she felt in-tune with other people. Beforehand she lived in Italy all her life, only to transfer into a Japanese school after her parents' jobs were relocated. Her classmates hadn't been so welcoming, nor had she. But soon that would all be past.

"I don't think I'll ever have trouble making friends again. Now that I've become a Digimon, I actually like myself now."

"I really like you too, Izumi."

Silence.

After taking a moment to process the conversation, Takuya froze. For some reason he felt his cheeks burning. A tingling pang entered his stomach like a hoard of butterflies. Worst of all he suddenly felt tongue-tied. Takuya could feel his heart beating so loud that he was sure Izumi could hear it.

If only he could shoot himself with Vritramon's Corona Blaster.

Izumi saw Takuya's face had become a deep shade of scarlet. Nonetheless, she was completely dumbfounded. Izumi had never seen Takuya act so bashful before, nor had she ever thought about looking at him as a man.

_"Okay, maybe once," _she told herself. More than once.

_Twice_.

He was kind of cute, especially when he laughed.

Now it was Izumi's turn to blush. Her dimples redder than the ripest cherry, all she could do was fiddle with the zipper on her pink jacket. Takuya clearly meant it as a friendly compliment. Even so, her thoughts were racing a mile a minute. She didn't want to make a mistake. But if he really meant it in _that _way, this might have been her only chance to find out.

"Y-yeah?" she squeaked.

"_Just perfect," _Takuya mentally slapped himself on the forehead. He could see Izumi was blushing deeply. And as much as he hated to admit it, so was he. He only meant to say that he really liked Izumi as a good friend. A _friend. _Only a little bit more than a friend, like a bromance…was there even a definition for a friendship between a boy and a girl? A sismance? _"Oh god,"_ Takuya thought. He was _terrible_ at being personal with girls. Izumi was the only girl he ever really got to know. Judging by the fact she was twiddling her thumbs, Takuya could see what she thought he meant.

But did he mean it? He himself had no idea. It was all happening so fast. Izumi and him were just friends. In the beginning he thought she was a complete nutcase. But slowly he noticed her courage, her strong will…and damn, the time he briefly saw her half naked in a swimsuit at Tocanmon Paradise, she was _hot. _

So maybe he did like her a little. But there was no way in hell Izumi felt the same way about him.

"I-I mean, like, you know…NOT _like-like_…uh…oh come on, you know what I mean."

He hoped she did.

"R-right…" Izumi trailed off. She blushed harder on his emphasis of the words 'like-like.'

There was a long moment of silence. Takuya stood up and awkwardly shuffled away towards a separate pile of books. Izumi, still in shock, picked up a history novel in front of her and dug her nose into it. She pretended to skim through the pages, flipping through a chapter at a time before making a quick glance at Takuya, who was still red-faced. It sounded like he was muttering to himself but she couldn't make it out.

Takuya pretended as hard as he could to search for the castle's Digicode. Now all he could think about was Izumi. Thoughts poured into his mind like Ranamon's Rain Stream to the point where it was overwhelming. He just couldn't process the awkward situation along with the burden he was already carrying. It was necessary to find the Digicode before morning. If he didn't, everyone's lives were in grave danger. He plopped down and rested his back against the mountains of novels. Grabbing one, he began to read. Head spinning, he put the book down. Too much information right now. He needed rest, only for a moment.

Izumi continued to scan her book. The suspense was killing her. Takuya wasn't saying anything else. After catching a glance of him once more, she shyly turned back to her book. She turned a page. Then another. Her face scrunching in a frown, she nodded to herself. She was going to do it. She was going to tell him she liked him.

"Takuya?" Izumi inquired.

Silence.

"Taaakuuuyaaaa."

"Izumi?" he answered lazily.

_"KANBARA-KUN!"_

Takuya blinked. The images of Ofanimon's castle faded away to reveal several pairs of eyes starting at him. Some of them were snickering. Drool was dribbling from the left side of his lip onto his desk. His books were scattered all over the floor. Still in a daze, Takuya sat up. He turned his head left and right. Finally facing forward, his gaze met with the beady eyes of Mr. Asaji, the infamous tyrannical homeroom teacher of Kokugakuin High School. The stubby black-haired professor was feared by most of his students. A pair of bulky rectangular eyeglasses rested on his pointy nose. What good fortune that Takuya was placed in his class as a second-year student.

_Or not. _

As reality sunk in, Takuya jolted backwards in his chair. He'd fallen asleep during second period. Takuya shuffled to pick up his fallen notebooks only to slam his head underneath his desk. A roar of laughter erupted from his peers. Mr. Asaji slammed a ruler against the whiteboard in order to get the class's attention. Regaining his balance, Takuya chuckled nervously and rested his hands behind his head. He was screwed.

"Heya buddy. Ehehe, I guess I didn't get much sleep last night. Go figure."

"That's Asaji-sensei, _NOT_ your 'buddy!'" Mr. Asaji bellowed. "Kanbara-kun, I won't tolerate such ludicrous behavior in my classroom. Find time during the day to fool around with this 'Ikumi-san,' or whatever your girlfriend's name is. Sleeping in my classroom is a disgrace to this school! Go stand outside! NOW!"

Takuya clenched his fists. There was a time his first reaction would have been to punch the lucky asshole in the face, but he took a deep breath and let the fire die within him. If there was one thing he could be sure of, it was his newfound respect for authority. For all he knew this guy must have been a hard-ass about teaching because he loved it so much. The Digital World, as well as Kouji, taught him never to pick a fight he knew he couldn't win. Here and now, he was faced with one of those moments. Standing up from his seat, Takuya bowed in apology.

"I'm sorry, Asaji-sensei," Takuya mustered in the politest voice possible. "It won't happen again. Your a great teacher; it's just that today I'm having a bit of a rough day. If you would be so kind as to let me, may I solve the next few problems on the board, please?"

Mr. Asaji flinched. In the hundreds of Sophomore classes he painfully suffered through he was so used to dealing with rowdy miscreants who talked back to his genius. Taken aback, Mr. Asaji cleared his throat.

"W-Well then! Kanbara-kun, carry on. Considering how your test scores are the second-highest in the class, I'll let this slide," he quickly turned away, muttering to himself. "You caught me in a good mood."

The sniggering subsided. The class could only stare in shock, wide-eyed.

Takuya bowed again, taking his seat. "Thank you, sir."

Mr. Asaji continued his rant about Calculus equations. As he turned away to grab some chalk for the blackboard, Takuya took the opportunity to bury his face in his textbook before he needed to get up and solve the equations. The flames returned. Only this time he could feel his cheeks burning, not his body temperature.

Today was going to be a long day.

**(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)**

After several hours of lecture, the school bell echoed over the voice of Mr. Asaji. Takuya sighed in relief. With a playful grin he slung his green bag over his shoulder and made a beeline for the exit. Before he could make it to the door, however, a hand stopped him.

"That's our midfielder!"

Takuya whirled around to see Ginta, a fellow teammate on the Kokugakuin High School soccer team. Back in freshman year the two boys easily made the team, and every now and then he and Takuya would exchange witty banter. His casual white polo and short-cut jeans contemplated his tooth-faced smile.

"Intimidating on the field, intimidating in the classroom. Way to go, man. That's going in the record books. You even managed to freak out Asaji, the old coot. Dude, your like a fighting machine!"

_"You have no idea," _Takuya rolled his eyes. However, as much as he enjoyed Ginta's company, today was Saturday. Saturdays at 3:30 had become a weekly tradition for him. He didn't want to be late. Satisfied, he grinned. Time to bring on the fun. Daydreaming in pleasure, Takuya was so wild with excitement that he didn't even notice himself jogging in place.

"Woah, where's the fire?" Ginta said. "You're always so quick to bail out of here. Same time, same day. Every week."

"Yeah. I'm meeting some friends."

"More like a _special friend, _if you know what I mean," Ginta snickered and slung his arm around Takuya's shoulders. "You dog. Got yourself a girl and ya didn't even tell me."

"Come on," he teased back. "If I had one, we both know I wouldn't be able to stop thinking. And I _really _don't want to do that."

_"I like you too, Izumi."_

_"Y-yeah?_

Izumi.

Takuya blushed slightly, recalling his dream. Four years had passed since his adventure in the Digital World and for some reason his subconscious had decided to remind him of his _worst_ moment spent there. It was pathetic. He recalled the conversation lasting for about a minute. Two tops.

Takuya glanced at his cell phone. 3:15. He was already late. Where he was going required a half-hour's worth of walking.

"3:15?! The guys are going to kill me!" Takuya hollered. His feet were dragging him down the hallway towards the entrance of the school. He waved a hand at Ginta. "Sorry buddy, I've got places to go, people to see! I'll hit you up later!"

Bursting through the front door, the sunlight greeted Takuya. A gentle breeze swirled in the air. Before him lay a grassy field, one that seemed to stretch endlessly towards the horizon if it weren't for a fence separating the school and Takuya's neighborhood. Students of all ages surrounded the campus. Some were playing soccer, some were riding bikes, and others, specifically couples, had happily plopped themselves on the grass. Without a doubt, it was another beautiful day in April; not to hot, not too cold. Taking a deep breath, he could feel the wind coursing through his veins. The sun burning on his skin. The light shining on his face. Since becoming a Digimon his senses had sharpened significantly.

But Takuya fled down the stairs and raced past them all. For where he was going he didn't need a flood of high schoolers crowing the place. All he needed was himself, the serenity of the afternoon, and Yoyogi Park.

And there was Kouji, Tomoki, Izumi, Junpei, and Kouichi of course.

After returning from the Digital World the group had exchanged cell phone numbers before parting to their respective families. Takuya was shocked to learn that they were practically neighbors: Kouji lived south of Ebisu, Kouichi the next town over in Hiroo, Izumi in Shinjuku, Tomoki in northern Yoyogi, Junpei in Sendagaya, and himself in Hatagaya, the six main residential districts in Shibuya. Go figure. And so the annual weekend get-togethers began. Takuya couldn't have been more overjoyed, for the thought of not being able to see his friends in the real world would have killed him after how far they'd come. Dashing down the sidewalk at the speed of light, after running for about a mile or two Takuya turned the corner and sped through the gate of the park. The entrance separated a forest of trees from the main road. Another exciting adventure with his second family awaited him. Internally he thanked Agunimon, because fighting as a Digimon taught him how to get used to running long distances.

Takuya continued down the dirt path, making haste. The plan was to meet Kouji and the gang in the heart of the gardens by a bridge with some bubblers. The surrounding area was a nice little section cut off from the main section of the park. Consisting of grassy fields, a crystal lake, and a forest of prunus trees, it was the ultimate meeting place. _Their_ place. It almost reminded him of the Forest Terminal.

But when he rounded the corner to the clearing, his friends were nowhere to be found.

Takuya flipped his phone. 3:45. He scratched his head in confusion. If he had 100 yen for every time he had been late over the past four years by now he would have dropped out of school. The thought made Takuya burst out laughing.

"I crack myself up every time," he blurted aloud, basking in the glory of his own corny joke. "But seriously, it's not like the guys to be so late. I'm the first one here. I guess Izumi won't strangle me this time."

What Takuya failed to realize was that a pair of ears were listening.

"Who's strangling who now?"

He flinched. The headstrong face of Izumi surfaced from a clump of trees. Her blue and white school-cap rested atop of her long, waist-length hair. Today she was wearing her high school's summer uniform: a navy-blue blouse with white stripes circling the edges of the outfit's collar and sleeve cuffs. A red ribbon hung from her neck, contemplating her pleated skirt. Topping it off with a wooden basket in one arm and a cell phone in the other, Izumi's slender figure stood tall, unyielding and fiery as always.

"I'll have you know that I'm a intelligent, mature, and graceful girl," she huffed. "Not one who starts cat-fights. You ought to know me well enough by now, Mr. 'I'm-always-right-and-everyone-else-is-wrong.'"

"Riiiiiight," he frowned. "And who's the one who saved both worlds again?"

"We _all_ did. Obnoxiousness aside," Izumi went on, "It's great to see you. I was starting to think nobody would show up."

Her frown quickly broke into a sweet smile. She giggled.

Takuya wanted to rip his hair out. Why did girls always have to be right? She wasn't just graceful…she was...stopping himself, he pinched his cheeks with both hands. That damned dream was driving him crazy. He needed to control his hormones before his face blew up like a tomato.

Izumi gave him a puzzled look. "Takuya? What's the matter?"

"Oh, it's nothing," he lied, waving his arms frantically. "I thought I saw a bug. No big deal. Bugs fly. Nothing going on here! Just me swatting a mosquito. You know how crazy they can get this time of year."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're acting weird."

"Aw, come on...You know me, I'm as jumpy as they come! Like a kid in a candy store. Only instead of candy, it would be filled with asparagus. Lots and lots of asparagus."

His sense of humor had gotten him out of the wackiest situations. He prayed it would save him now.

"Well, when you put in that way…that's true. Anyone who likes asparagus is weird."

"Heeeey, what's that supposed to mean?" Takuya snapped.

"It means," Izumi concluded, "That you're a six-year-old in a high schooler's body."

They both laughed.

"So Izumi, how long have you been waiting here for? Isn't Junpei with you?"

"No," she shook her head. "I came alone. I've been waiting here for about a half-hour. Junpei normally walks with me when I get out of school, but he wasn't waiting in the courtyard like he usually does. I tried calling him, but he didn't answer."

"_What_?!" Takuya cried in shock. "Either A) Junpei's lost his mind, B) Junpei's _officially _lost his mind, or C) Junpei's actually managed to tie the knot…and lost his mind."

"Very funny, sherlock. But wouldn't he let us know?"

"Yeah," Takuya nodded, now serious. "I wonder what's going on. Kouji and Kouichi aren't here either. They're always punctual. And let's not forget that Tomoki's school is literally five minutes away. I'm starting to get a little worried."

"Me too," Izumi's face fell. "So what now?"

"Let's try calling them. I'll call Kouji. You try Junpei and Tomoki."

She nodded. "Got it."

Takuya and Izumi began furiously punching numbers into their phones with no avail. After dialing Kouji's number three times, Takuya growled in frustration. He called a fourth time and added a goofy message for extra measure. That would get his attention for sure. Izumi texted Junpei and Tomoki, but minutes past and she received nothing. To her surprise the line went directly to Junpei's voicemail when she tried to call. Now Tomoki was their last hope.

"Hello? Hello?! Tomoki? Anyone?! It's Izumi! If you're there, answer me!"

No answer.

"Takuya's here too!" she added. "Pretty please?"

The line went dead. They both sighed. A few moments later, however, both of their phones began beeping.

"It's a message from Kouji," Takuya turned to Izumi.

"And I got one from Tomoki!"

"Hey. Kendo got out late. Lost track of time. Kouichi and I will be there soon," he read aloud. Suspicious, he rubbed his temples. "What the heck? There's no way Kouji would _ever _lose track of the time. This is Kouji we're talking about here."

"Junpei-oniichan promised he'd take me out for ice cream today. We'll be a few minutes late. Can't wait to see you and Takuya-oniichan!" Izumi added, slightly giggling at the implication that Tomoki saw Junpei as a big brother. Honestly, she was surprised that Junpei was an only child, because she knew he would be a great sibling if given the chance. He definitely was like an older brother to her. Junpei was sweet.

Takuya let out a huge sigh. Sulking towards the bottom of a cherry tree he plopped himself onto the soft grass. "Geez. Talk about bad timing. I guess we'll just have to kill time before they get here."

"Guess so."

Izumi joined him. With the others taking their time she and Takuya were now alone. For a moment the two of them were silent, taking in the beauty of the peaceful spring afternoon. Izumi closed her eyes as the wind blanketed her skin. "_Bellissimo_," she thought. It made her want to trail the skies as Fairymon. With the soft sunlight and the cherry blossoms in full bloom, petals dancing in the wind, this would definitely be her ideal spot if she was on a date.

She glanced at Takuya. Plastered on his face was the same dopey, happy-go-lucky grin. It didn't take long for her cheeks to flare up violently. She recalled the time in the Digital World when she promised to take Takuya and Kouji on an all-day-date if they defeated Cherubimon. Of course at the time she was joking. She knew the guys weren't taking her seriously after Bokomon had offered to knit them a matching belt.

Deep down, she was partially kidding. At least as far as Kouji went. But Takuya…a teeny part of her was serious. Which also reminded her of when the two of them were alone in Ofanimon's library. She could never forget the comment he made and how stupid she felt afterwards for blowing her chance. Izumi knew that she'd probably never get an opportunity like that again.

Her entire face was burning as it clicked. There was no one in sight. They were together. _Alone. _A chance she had never gotten since the Digital World. Terrified as she was this was a god-given fortuity. She wanted answers. A stronger current of air hugged her body, as if to say now was the right time.

Izumi took a deep breath.

"T-Takuya?"

"Yeah?"

Meeting his gaze Izumi turned away, still flushed. His amber pupils reflected a mixture of curiosity and innocence.

"Um, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sure," he replied, his tone of voice changing to that of immediate concern. He turned to face her. "Is everything okay?"

"But of course!" she retorted. Izumi always prided herself on her confidence, but definitely not when it came to the romance department. "I'm fine."

"Well that's a relief. You looked so serious for a minute there."

"That's because I am serious," she fidgeted.

Takuya blinked, confused. Izumi was looking at him straight in the eyes. He didn't quite understand where she was going with this. A chill crept up his spine as she inched a little closer to him. Before letting his mind wander, he mentally slapped himself on the head. He needed his hormones to shut up.

"What do you mean?" he finally responded.

"It's about something you said."

"S-Something I said?"

"Yeah."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Ohhhh. You mean the comment about you strangling people. I'm sorry if that offended you. I was just jok-"

"That's not it."

"Huh?"

Izumi turned away. She started playing with a loop of her hair, a habit Takuya noticed Izumi always did when she was nervous. He still wasn't following.

"It's something you said…a long time ago. When we were in the Digital World."

Leaning his back against a nearby prunus tree, Takuya stretched his arms. The rough bark, while prickly, felt good against his pale skin. He shut his eyes to clear his thoughts. "Well knowing me, I wouldn't shut up about _anything_. I was practically the definition of a walking chatterbox."

"Right," Izumi giggled softly, appreciative of how easily Takuya could lighten the mood.

She took another deep breath. This was it.

"What I'm trying to say is…um...what I'm getting at…I..."

"Izumi, you can tell me anything," he interjected, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. Takuya could sense her uneasiness. As their eyes locked her sea-green ovals darted away on contact.

"We've been through so much together. If something is ever bothering you, no matter how crazy it is, please tell me. I would never think less of you."

"You mean that?" she hesitated.

"Duh."

"Seriously?"

He smiled warmly. "Of course."

Izumi gulped. It was now or never.

"Takuya…I-I…you…"

_"Grooooooooowl." _

Izumi flinched at the sound of Takuya's stomach.

Takuya chuckled nervously. He recalled oversleeping earlier in the day and skipping breakfast. If there was anything he knew he sucked at it was getting up in the mornings. With nothing but a bread roll to munch on at lunchtime he was starved. His high school didn't serve lunch. And, of course, because he overslept he forget his at home. Unbeknownst to him, Izumi was clenching her teeth. Her cheeks, once hot in embarrassment, were now burning with anger. This wasn't the first time Takuya's shenanigans had interrupted her when she was giving it her all from not losing all respect for herself as a girl. Some aspects about him hadn't changed at all.

"Hahahaha, sorry 'bout that! I kind of overslept this morning…say, do you mind if we eat a little early? I know you had prepared lunch for when everyone got here, but…well, I don't know if I can wait much longer," he paused. "Oh, by the way, what were you trying to say?"

"…diot."

Takuya leaned in. Izumi was speaking too softly. "What? I didn't catch that."

"IDIOT!"

Takuya was stunned by the sudden outburst. Clearly Izumi must have been offended, but for what reason he couldn't tell. What was there to be mad about? He only proposed an innocent question. Yet here she was, her mouth clamped shut, her cheeks flaring, her face blown up in anger. Just like the time when they had fallen down the hole in the Flame Terminal. Before he had time to react she shoved the basket in his face and began stomping furiously towards the bridge. The force of the impact left a bright, red mark on his face.

"What was that for?!" he demanded.

Izumi glared back. "I'll tell you what! Takuya, you're nothing more than a clueless, idiotic, immature little kid! To think I almost told you that I…UGH! Never mind!"

Now it was Takuya's turn to be angry. He stood up. "What is your problem? I could say the same thing about you! For a girl who boasts about being all mature, any guy walking down the street would think you were crazy the moment you'd open your big mouth! Who starts spazzing out of nowhere?"

"_I'm _CRAZY?" she spat. "I'm not so crazy where I would fall asleep or start babbling on about food in the middle of a serious confession! But wait, I almost forgot. You don't even know what that means, do you?"

"Confess? What are you talking about? _Your _the one who wanted to tell me something in the first place!"

"Yeah. I just did."

"So this is what you were trying so hard to say, huh? That I'm a stupid kid? For no good reason? Anything _else_ you want me to know, princess?!"

"Just eat your stupid lunch and don't talk to me!"

"Fine!"

"Fine."

"I'm going home," she added in a huff. "Tell the others I'm busy when they arrive. And Takuya? Don't talk to me until you've matured a few years!"

Teeth bared, Izumi stomped across the bridge leading towards the park's exit. She shoved through the crowds of tourists fawning over the lake and made her way to a secluded area with a few benches and some vending machines. She needed to cool off. Centered in the marble walkway were a pair of geysers. Children were running back and forth, splashing their way through the hot afternoon. Izumi plopped herself on a bench. Still flustered, she began fiddling with a strand of her hair. Part of her envied the innocent youths for being able to be so carefree all the time. Life had been so easy at that age…if only it continued to be as simple. She missed running through the grassy plains of Tuscany, Italy. Playing in her father's lush gardens. Helping her mother in the kitchen. Walking down the streets with her girlfriends with a handful of Gelato. Yet, sooner or later, everyone had to grow up. Time had changed her, and while she still enjoyed similar pastimes in Japan with family and friends, her mind had begun to wander past that carefree zone. The plague called boys had hit her like a ton of bricks. When she was ten or so she recalled having a conversation with a group of girls about how stupid and immature they were, and how each of them vowed never to associate with them as long as they lived. Yet the irony of it all was that many of her new friends in Japan were exactly the opposite; they lived, breathed, and daydreamed about them, all the time. Her closest friend Juri-chan liked to show her magazines with tons of 'hot' male celebrities, when, in fact, she already had a boyfriend, Takato-kun. Her classmates Shiki-chan and Lina-chan were always flirting with boys from other high schools. For some reason none of those fantasies interested Izumi. Like any girl, she did love to dress up and accessorize, but it had to be for the right person. One person.

Takuya Kanbara. The boy she had been dreaming about since that moment in Ofanimon's library. Probably even before then.

Izumi clenched her fists. Takuya's naivete was painful to endure. While not intentional, it hurt just as much, maybe more. How many guys had she turned down over the past four years for the small chance of getting to tell him how she felt? How many hours had she spent on her appearance on Saturdays and Sundays in the mornings, just to see if he would catch a glimpse of her at the end? It was so aggravating. Infuriating. Most of all, it was pathetic. Deep down Izumi knew Takuya's heart was untouchable; it was too pure to understand the feelings she bore. He just wasn't interested in girls. At least not her.

Izumi could feel her eyes burning. A hot tear began to roll down her cheek. She quickly wiped it off and stood up, her mouth formed in a thin, hard, line. She refused to be swayed by such wavering emotions. She was strong. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her purse and pivoted towards the vending machines. A nice drink would lift her spirits. She slid a 500 yen coin in the money slot and waited.

Moments later, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Look, Takuya," she snapped in disgust, "whatever you have to say, I don't want to hear it-"

Izumi gasped.

**(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)**

Meanwhile, Takuya had been sulking at the original meeting place. The picnic basket Izumi flung at him rested against a tree with her other belongings. Crouching by the lake he was lost in the sight of his reflection. He splashed some water in his face. The cool liquid only seemed to agitate the burn further, but nonetheless it felt refreshing. He just didn't understand what Izumi was so upset about. As far as he was concerned hunger wasn't a crime. However, the neatly packed bento lunch she had prepared remained untouched. He was too upset to eat at this point. Words from the argument continued to float in his mind.

_"Takuya, you're nothing more than a clueless, idiotic, immature little kid!" Izumi cried._

For some reason he felt extremely pained by those words. Part of him wanted to believe that she wasn't serious when she told him he was an idiot. Moments beforehand the look in her eyes had made his heart go wild. Though rash, Izumi was extremely sincere, one of the things he loved about her. It made sense the spirit of Fairymon had chosen her as her partner. Izumi was exactly like the breeze in every way…she was gentle, elegant, and graceful. Her will was strong and unyielding. Her passion and uniqueness was present in her face, heart, and voice.

Suddenly he felt like a fool. All this time he'd been mocking Junpei for openly displaying his affections, while it was him who lacked the balls to say anything to her. He couldn't lie that at first he denied seeing her in a romantic way, but after he left the Digital World it was clear that such feelings had been there all along.

Takuya crossed his hands in his arms. Though he still couldn't understand what exactly set Izumi off, nonetheless, he wanted to apologize immediately. He cared about her opinion too much. Moments beforehand he had allowed his feelings for her to cloud his thoughts, erupting into unnecessary anger. Before she got too far ahead of him he had to think. He cleared his throat.

"Izumi, I'm sorry. You were right. Will you forgive me?" he thought aloud.

Takuya shook his head. Too informal.

"Izumi…it would be stupid not to forgive me. Same goes for you. I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

He smacked himself on the head. Too rude.

"Look, Izumi, I don't know what happened earlier, but if I did anything to upset you, I'm really sorry. More than sorry. I don't want anything going on between us because I really care about you…A lot. More than a sister. You can always count on me. I've always respected you…and…and…" he trailed off.

Takuya's face was burning. Why did he have to be so bad with words? There was no way he could say such a thing to her. He might as well as try to come across as a stalker or a pervert if that was what he was going for, which he wasn't. He sighed.

"…nooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The screaming plea of a girl pierced through his mind. His heart almost stopped as he recognized the voice.

Izumi's voice.

**(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)**

Izumi gasped.

"Hey, babe. Couldn't help but notice you walking around."

"You look like you're a little lost," a second voice chimed in.

Two men what looked like to be a couple of years older than Izumi had surrounded her on all sides. Both had school uniforms; they wore matching black suits and pants with white collars. The first wore glasses and his breath reeked of booze. He was easily distinguishable from the second man: unlike the first, he had a scrawny body and thin, long legs. His mess of wavy black hair clearly differentiated him from his blonde partner. Izumi gritted her teeth. She was pinned against the vending machine. Darting her vision in all directions the area had cleared out. The children playing under the fountains, as well as their adult chaperones, were gone. Not good.

"How about it then? Come and spend some time with us."

Izumi remained silent. She slapped his hand away and stuck her nose in the air. If she played it cool perhaps the creep would let her walk away and that would be the end of it. Unfortunately she had no such luck. As Izumi tried to push through an arm slammed against the vending machine, blocking her path. The second man proved to be just as aggressive as the first. Sweat began to cultivate in her hands. She leaned against the soda machine, the cool metal making contact with her skin. She had nowhere to run. If only she could transform into Fairymon and kick them in the balls.

"What's the deal? You shy?" The black-haired boy inched closer to her face. Hot, repulsive breath flooded her nostrils. She turned away. The situation was becoming out of hand. She prayed to god Kouji, Kouichi, Junpei, or Tomoki would pass by and recognize her. But the four boys were nowhere in sight.

"Woah dude, check her out," he motioned to his partner. "We got ourselves a runner," he cooed, placing a hand on her chin. The both of them snickered loudly. "Is this your first time? Don't worry…we'll go…_slow_."

"N-no…" Izumi pleaded. She shoved them away and tried to escape, but the grip around her arm was as strong as iron. She couldn't move. She struggled and squirmed and cried with no avail. At the same time she took note of the setting sun on the horizon. Most of the general public were clearing out by now. Without help there was no way she could get away from her pursuers. Yet still as both men began dragging her further from the main road she continued to fight. She wouldn't lose to the likes of a couple of cocky bastards. In the Digital World she'd seen worse. But without the spirit of Fairymon to guide her she was powerless.

"Your awfully feisty, aren't you? Hehehe. I like that in a girl. What about you, Satou?"

"Of course, Kenshi," he licked his lips. "The more they struggle, the sexier they are."

Izumi began to lose hope. The boys were dragging her closer to the woods. Was it all going to end like this? Her purity robbed by a couple of thugs? Tears began to slide down her face. She was so stupid. She should have stayed with Takuya, finished the three words she had so desperately tried to convey…but once again, her pride had been her downfall. As soon as the men were finished with her she'd be scarred the rest of her life.

Izumi felt her knees knocking. By now the two men had pushed her against a tree. Her whole body was shaking. The first man, Satou, had begun to close in. He reached for the zipper on the back of her skirt.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed.

**(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)**

"IZUMI! WHERE ARE YOU? IZUMI?"

Takuya heart was racing a mile a minute. If anything ever happened to her he would never forgive himself…nor would Junpei, or Kouji. He could hear the echo of her voice bouncing off the trees. If he remembered correctly he last saw her crossing the bridge, and from there it was all a blur. He grunted in agony. If this were the Digital World he could transform into Agunimon, but on earth he was just Takuya. He raced past a group of little kids that emerged from a clearing to his right. He was beginning to lose his mind; someone must have been taking advantage of her at this very moment. Angered, he punched his fist against a tree trunk.

_"Run to the right, my boy! Right!"_

_"What he said!"_

Takuya blinked. In his mind was none other than the voice of Bokomon and Neemon. Sure enough his cell vibrated to reveal a text with their faces in the message. He didn't know how they were able to contact him, but internally he thanked them wholeheartedly. Picking up speed he dodged around the hordes of families to a hidden clearing with some geysers. Two men, and the sobbing face of Izumi, could be seen in the far back towards a cluster of trees. He cried in anguish at the sight of her pinned to a tree. She was completely vulnerable. His heart palpated as he saw her skirt being unzipped. No words could describe the sudden burst of shock, fear, anger and love bubbling through his heart.

And then a wave of pure rage washed over him.

"…let her go."

The two schoolboys turned around, shocked. Izumi gasped. Her heart swelled with joy to see the face of none other than Takuya.

Satou grinned in amusement. "Well well well, look at what he have here. This wimpy chick has got herself a little hero."

"Heh heh heh," Kenshi snorted. "What are you? In grade school?"

"Did you hear what I said? _Let her go,_" Takuya replied icily.

"Pft. And why should I?"

Takuya could feel his blood boiling. Superhuman strength was coursing through his veins. He hadn't felt so fired up since his last battle with Lucemon years prior. Beside him was a withered oak tree. Clearly the particular tree had been there for hundreds of years. Without thinking, Takuya's hand reached for the nearest branch, ripping it off as if it were a piece of paper. He pointed the razor-like end towards the two boys. The branch immediately burst into flames.

"A-Agunimon?" Izumi whispered.

Satou loosened his grip. Izumi cried as she fell to her knees.

Kenshi, mouth agape, took a step back. "S-Satou…this guy's crazy…Satou?"

Satou's eyes were bulging. His whole body was shaking. His face, paler than a ghost, was whimpering in panic. Somehow he had just witnessed a supernatural experience. The man before him wasn't human. His whole body was glowing red. His pupils were black slits. His breathing was coarse. It must have been a bad omen. As Satou met the boy's face, he could have sworn he was gazing into the eyes of a beast: one with a foot of golden hair, strange white markings, two devilish horns, and the teeth of a shark.

Takuya took a step forward. "You scumbag…don't you ever touch her again!" he roared. "Izumi is _my _girl!"

"G-g-go a-ahead…t-t-take her…I'm g-getting out of here!"

Satou ran screaming in the other direction, with Taki stumbling not too far behind. Takuya felt the flames die within him. He held the burning branch over the geyser and tossed it into the woods. His heartbeat slowed in relief. He turned towards Izumi.

"Izumi, are you-"

At the same moment, a wave of tiredness swept over him. His head was pounding. His arms and legs seemed ten times heavier than usual. The forest began to spin. His vision was blurring. The ambience of the outside dissolved into silence. He swayed in place before his pale figure met the earth. And then there was darkness.

**(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)(-o-)**

Takuya moaned. Something cold had been placed onto face. Confused, he blinked sleepily. He couldn't remember where he was, but it was clear he had been unconscious for some time. Rays of heavy sunlight were streaming throughout the trees. The sun was setting. Sparrows were chirping softly. Water lapping against the earth could be heard. Still sore, Takuya slowly repositioned himself. The modest trunk of a prunus tree had been his bedding. A cluster of pink petals softly danced in the wind. He yawned. Evidently the place had been perfect for a nap.

"You're awake!"

Takuya squinted his vision. Izumi was sitting before him, her eyes red and puffy. Without warning she sprang from her knees and flung herself onto his chest. Takuya flinched as her body made contact. The sudden jolt had awoken him from the comfort of sleep. Images of the frightening events with the two thugs almost violating Izumi flashed in his mind. Somehow he successfully warded them off, but it all was a blur. Now Izumi was so close to him. The sudden realization of her sprawled onto his lap was making him feel fluttery and dizzy. At first he hesitated to move, his arms hanging on his sides like meat puppets, but seeing Izumi shivering broke him out of the spell of pheromones. She was petrified. He wrapped his arms around her back.

"Takuya…I was so scared…so scared!" she cried. It took everything she had to keep from blubbering. She knew she was failing miserably, but for this particular moment she didn't seem to care. Takuya had come for her. He was so warm, from his body to his soul. Like heat from a flame.

"It's okay, Izumi," he pulled her closer. "Everything's fine. You're safe."

"Y-Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

There was a moment of silence.

"Takuya?"

"Hm?"

"Just now…did you use the the powers of Agunimon?"

"Wha...?" he replied, slightly dazed. "Oh…good question. I have no idea. Although Bokomon and Neemon told me where to find you."

"They did?!"

"Yup," he nodded, pulling out his cell phone. "See? They sent me a message."

"Bokomon and Neemon emoticons!" Izumi smiled. "Stupendo!"

"I guess the Legendary Warriors knew we were in trouble," he smirked. "Well, they did say they'd always be watching over us."

"Oh, and, um, Takuya?"

"Yeah?"

"You can let go now," Izumi mumbled, her face a light shade of pink.

A cold chill crept up Takuya's spine. Frantically he loosened his grip and turned her back to her. He didn't want her to see his blotchy face. However, Izumi could see the back of his ears were beet red. She blushed.

"Ah-hem," Izumi cleared her throat. "Takuya,"

He gulped. "Wh-what?"

"Since when am I _your _girl?" she frowned.

_"Just great,"_ Takuya stiffened. Wonderful. Perfect…Perfectly _idiotic_. Taking a moment to compose himself, he slapped his cheeks with his hands. He turned to face Izumi with a casual frown.

"Oh come on, I only said that to get them away from you," he rolled his eyes. Deep down it took every inch of his willpower to hold his tongue. Maybe if he was lucky the guys would walk in and the two of them could just forget the whole thing.

"You know what I mean," he added.

Izumi turned away. "It's funny. You said the same thing to me four years ago."

She paused. "Hey, remember when I said to come talk to me after a you've matured a couple years?"

"Oh yeah. Look, about that. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Well," she turned from his gaze, "it would seem that I was mistaken. You look like you could be two…no, four, years older."

"So I'm an old fart now?" he sighed.

"N-no!" Izumi wailed. Boys were so clueless. "All I'm trying to say is that…I'm sorry. Considering how long I've known you, I was way out of line. Friends?"

"Friends," Takuya nodded, relieved.

"One more thing."

"There's more?"

"Yeah. It's about earlier. I was trying to tell you something and it…didn't come out the way I wanted it to."

Izumi slipped her hands in his. Immediately Takuya felt his temperature rising. How many times was this girl going to tease him today? It was torture.

"Back when we were in the Digital World, in Ofanimon's library, you said something to me. Something I couldn't forget."

_"Oh no." he thought dreadfully. _

"You said…that you liked me."

"I don't-"

"And it made me remember," she interrupted, "that during your battle with Cherubimon, I made you a promise."

"Huh?"

"I promised," she paused, cheeks flushed, "that if you won that battle, I would take you on an all-day date."

Takuya felt a wave of dizziness hit him again. Izumi squeezed his hands harder.

"So, um…what I'm trying to say…what I'm trying to get at…well…Takuya…" she shuffled nervously. "I may be wrong, but…when I'm with you…there's something…more. I feel it deep down. The only person I want to open my heart to…is you."

Takuya blinked, dumbfounded. He pinched his stomach. Then his cheeks. He was still awake. He looked at her to see if it was a joke. But Izumi's deep, turquoise eyes were shining. His cheeks were flaring. Darting his eyes towards his sneakers, Takuya scratched his dimples.

"Izumi…you…" he finally mustered up the courage to speak.

Izumi nodded. "Mm."

"R-really?"

Izumi folded her arms and turned away. Her cheeks were scrunched in a pout. "Don't make me say it again."

"B-but what about the others?" Takuya gaped.

"They'll get used to it."

"Junpei?"

"He wouldn't hold a grudge."

Takuya took a quick glance at the bashful face of Izumi. Once composed, collected, and cool, she now looked as if she wanted to fly away. It seemed the blustery beauty had an achilles heel after all. He just never expected it to be him of all things. He blushed.

There was no need to hesitate any longer.

"So…um…yeah. Here we are," Takuya trailed off.

"Uh-huh."

"I guess there's no one around."

"Uh-huh."

"We're…alone."

He took a step closer.

"Eh-eh?!"

Izumi shivered as a pair of fingers gently smoothed her golden hair. Her eyes were clamped shut. A curly strand she'd previously been playing with had fallen over her eyes. Takuya brushed it away. Izumi took notice he wasn't wearing his gloves. If the air wasn't so humid she would have told herself she was coming down with a temperature. Who knew the skin of a man could be so soft. The feeling was indescribable; a surge of heat and ice coursed through her veins. Izumi was so absorbed in her inner thoughts it took her a moment to realize that Takuya was inches away from her face. Hesitantly she cracked her eyelids open. Takuya's auburn pupils were ablaze.

"Takuya?"

"Izumi…I like you," he uttered. Gallant and suave, his voice was as smooth as honey. "I really like you."

Izumi found herself closing her eyes.

"I don't understand," she mumbled. "Why is it…that we…"

An hour had passed since the two Digidestined entered the park. Now the sunlight was dipping on the horizon. Clusters of stars were peeking through the violet sky to welcome the transition into the night. A sudden gust of wind hugged and swirled around their bodies as Takuya slowly leaned in towards Izumi's lips. It wouldn't be too much longer until the young couple shared their first kiss. Takuya was going to prove himself as a man. Finally, after years of daydreaming, his inner-most hidden desire was becoming a reality.

A jet of water exploded from the geysers surrounding them.

"Takuya-oniichan!"

Takuya froze. The fountain of liquid disguising their figures slowly evaporated to reveal the faces of Tomoki and Junpei. Groceries once held by Junpei were scattered everywhere. Koji and Kouichi could be heard chattering a meter behind them. Junpei's mouth was in the shape of an O. Tomoki, completely unaware of the situation, was happily licking a chocolate ice cream cone. Remnants of his child-like innocence still remained after many years. Seeing the face of his brother-like idol in a distance prompted Tomoki to shout his name with delight. He flapped his arms in the air in order to get his attention. Junpei, on the other hand, could not, _would not _believe what he had almost witnessed. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him. Saddened, he began to sniffle.

"Hahaha, good one, Kouji-huh?"

Kouichi stopped mid-sentence at the sight of Junpei. His mouth remained wide open at the sight of Takuya and Izumi. Kouji raised an eyebrow while Kouichi shrugged his shoulders.

"Junpei?" Kouichi began. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Seconds passed with no response. Being the impatient fellow that he was, Kouji nudged Junpei in the elbow in attempt to get him to talk. Instead Junpei dropped his half-eaten ice cream sandwich.

"I-I-I-I-zu-u-u-mi-ch-chan…"

"So? What about her?" Kouji sighed. "She and Takuya should be waiting past this clear-oh, they're over there."

Takuya and Izumi remained frozen in their tracks. They were too shocked to move away from each other, much less speak.

"Takuya-oniichan?" Tomoki piped in. "What's the matter? Your face is all red."

"Yeah," Junpei added curtly, half yelling, half sobbing. "Why are you and Izumi-chan standing so close to each other?!"

Kouji and Kouichi exchanged glances. Being the perceptive brothers they were, over the years it hadn't been difficult to figure it out where their two romantically-challenged buddies were going. The two of them remained silent. Yet Kouji couldn't help but roll his eyes. Takuya had been obviously pursuing Izumi for years whether he realized it or not. His dopey facial expressions when looking at her from a distance were an immediate giveaway.

"Clueless as usual," he muttered to himself. "That idiot."

"Now, now," Kouichi whispered.

"Um, J-Junpei, i-it's not what you think," Izumi sputtered. Her entire face had blown up into the shape of balloon. Everything was moving so fast and she wasn't mentally prepared to break the ice. "It's…well…um.…we're…"

Takuya frowned. "Can't you see what I'm doing? I guess you were too slow, Junpei."

"Wha-?!"

He playfully scooped Izumi up in his arms.

"Guess what? Izumi is _my _girl now!"

* * *

**Aaaaaaaaaa I know the ending seemed rather rushed, but I hoped you enjoyed the oneshot! I was going for those endings that end with a bang; the ones where you as readers make up what happens next. I know personally I **_**HATE **_**those endings, but it certainty gets the good ol' noggin thinking!**

**Review and shoot me your thoughts!**

**Thanks to Charlie for inspiring me to write, create, and learn.**

**~Moonlight**


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